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Good way to ease kids into production and have them create something that teaches a concept to the students.

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A few years ago, while trying to come up with a way to make my assignments more relevant to my students' lives and to ignite passion in their work, a flurry of "explainer videos" started popping up on YouTube.

Explainer videos are short and catchy combinations of moving images, audio, and music. They are typically packed full of information about some specific idea or topic and may even include an on-screen actor or reporter who walks the viewer through the story.

Examples of good explainer videos can be found on a host of websites. I particularly like the Vox explainer video entitled The State of Gun Violence in the US, Explained in 18 Charts . I also like the KQED 'Above the Noise' explainer video entitled Why Do Our Brains Love Fake News ? Another very good explainer video describes , KQED's new online professional learning platform for educators.

While watching these videos, I realized what I was looking for . . . an opportunity for my students to produce some explainer videos of their own.

The Explainer Video Assignment

I began by calling upon my broadcast journalism students to create explainer videos in which each student described him or herself-a kind of biography project.

This allowed them to concentrate on a topic that they were already familiar with. It also allowed them to complete a project in a shorter amount of time than usual, with the finished product serving as a way of letting the students get to better know one another at the start of the year.

To create their explainer videos, my students used Apple's , a free presentation software for Mac and iOS and an easy-to-use alternative to Microsoft Powerpoint.

One great feature of Apple's Keynote is that it can easily record an audio track to play over the presentation itself-the presenter can essentially place a "live recording" over the video.

The first step of the assignment required my students to watch examples of explainer videos found online. I wanted them to be able to identify and analyze the elements and techniques they would need to use in their own videos-how to communicate ideas clearly; the types of images, statistics, and graphic elements necessary to tell a story; and how to organize the information so it makes sense to an audience.

Next, we watched of animations created with Keynote. I also provided the class with a copy of the free multi-touch book, Design Secrets Revealed , so that it might help them better understand how to make a presentation visually appealing and easier for an audience to comprehend.

Then I gave a 30-minute tutorial on how to use Keynote to create animation. The simplicity and options of Keynote excited my students and inspired them to think about how they could creatively tell their stories.

For homework, the students were asked to write scripts for their own voiceover tracks, collect images and statistics, and design their animation. The next day, we spent about two hours completing the videos.

Since this was their first time using Keynote's animation elements, and since the turnaround time was quite short, the videos were not as polished as we might have liked. However, the exercise served as a great way for students to become familiar with the tool, to learn to tell a story with graphics and voiceover and to become better-versed in elements of design.

See below for an example of one of my student's explainer videos.

Tips for Creating Explainer Videos

My students were asked to complete their projects in only four hours' time, and over the course of only two days. Here are my suggestions to make your assignment better:

Start small. Make this an 'introductory' project with a limit of 3-5 slides. Have students focus on ONE particular aspect of a topic to animate. Learn from your mistakes so that the next assignment can be longer and more complicated.

Give your class enough time to debrief and critique the projects in class. Although students posted their projects on our social media group so that everyone could see them before returning to school, our time constraints meant that we didn't have time to adequately debrief in class and learn from each other.

Writing is the foundation of every multimedia project. These videos will require focus statements (the narrow and specific question video will answer), editorial decisions (what information to include), as well as writing and performing a scripted voice-over track will provide the framework for the graphics and animation. Spend time writing and revising the script so that it's clear and makes sense before you work on the visuals and animations.

Content is king. Make sure students have their information right, and can craft a clear story that -not just -a given topic. Ask them to consider and answer questions such as, "Why is this way the best way?" or "What happens if you don't...?" or "Why should this matter to anyone?"

Additional Resources

Although my background is in journalism and film production, I found that the KQED Teach courses " Making Infographics" and " Designing Presentations " helped clarify design and layout skills I needed to develop with my students.

Why Assign Explainer Videos

Explainer videos are a great way for teachers to check for understanding while also allowing students to have an impact on an audience beyond the classroom.

Explainer videos also teach students important media literacy and design skills that they might need in the "real world" someday.

More than anything else, my students had great fun playing around with the explainer video style.

Explainer Videos: A Fun Way for Students to Show What They Know

Author

Michael Hernandez

Michael is an award-winning cinema and journalism teacher in Los Angeles whose work focuses on social justice, digital storytelling and media literacy. He speaks regularly at conferences in the U.S. and abroad, like CUE, ISTE and SXSWEdu on topics related to tech integration and innovative teaching and learning strategies. Michael also leads students and teachers on documentary trips to Vietnam, Cuba and Cambodia as part of an experiential learning program. He is an Apple Distinguished Educator, Google for Education Certified Innovator and PBS Digital Innovator. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram: @cinehead and at www.michael-hernandez.net

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Explainer Videos: A Fun Way for Students to Show What They Know

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A few years ago, while trying to come up with a way to make my assignments more relevant to my students' lives and to ignite passion in their work, a flurry of "explainer videos" started popping up on YouTube. Explainer videos are short and catchy combinations of moving images, audio, and music.

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Originally for yearbook, this is a great way to structure a class and keep kids busy.

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Last year came to a rough close with large chunks of the yearbook incomplete; a team exhausted and frustrated, struggling to work together; and a lack of knowing how to institute work in a class with such a complex grading criteria.

When I asked staff members to complete a task, there was not much repercussion for doing a poor job other than a loss of points from their weekly goals and evaluation sheet. Therefore, there was no willingness or motivation to correct changes: the grade had already been received. The result was a multitude of mediocre captions, a sloppy index, and amateur errors that could have been easily prevented.

By the end of the year, a few dedicated members of the staff and I were left sorting through a mess trying to decide, with the little time we had left before deadline, what was worth taking a loss over and what absolutely had to be corrected to maintain credibility and reputation for our program.

During the last week of school in May, I found myself in the copy room, frustrated, annoyed, sleep-deprived and dreading the copious amount of work I would now have to pick up as the adviser because so much of the yearbook was not finished. Everyone else was excited for summer break, but I knew, at least until that yearbook deadline, I would be dedicating every day, all day to trying to finish this yearbook.

I was swearing to myself I would not let this happen ever again, but I did not know how to prevent it from happening. I was so frustrated in that moment I could not help but consider going to my principal and asking him if he could find someone else to be the yearbook adviser.

Oddly enough, it was like I was meant to walk into that copy room at that exact time because sitting on top of the copy machine was a rubric the band teacher had accidentally left behind. In band, students have the opportunity to letter, but certain requirements and expectations have to be met first. Before me was a list of a variety of tasks band members could do and how many points each task would give them as they moved towards the needed total for their band letter. It was an instantaneous alert for me: I could do something very similar in yearbook!

I ran another copy of the band service points sheet and raced back to my classroom. Then, I created a similar format with a similar goal in mind: service points. I've shared my rubric here.

Service points would be designed with the mission of generating student motivation and leadership, while instilling an evolving idea that there is always work to be done. This would drive home that working as a team was the only way we would really complete the yearbook, and that with each task completed we would keep the yearbook progressing forward towards the finish line.

The new system I developed operates under the requirement that students must earn 200 service points per semester. The 200 points can be easily obtained, but the assignment is large enough it will tremendously affect a staff member's grade if they do not meet the service points requirements by the end of semester. The results are incredible!

Incorporating service points into my classroom completely changed the attitudes of my students. Rarely do I have to ask students to get on task because they are eager to complete their service points. They do not want to worry about them towards the end of the semester.

The common question in the classroom has become, "I just finished this, is there anything I can do for service points?"

This tactic has also helped the editors. They can create a running to-do list of tasks that needs to be completed. We can assign service points to them even if they are not already on the list, and it gives students more choices in the work they select to complete.

There is also no opportunity to slack off or complete a job half way because the points require my sign-off to obtain them: I do not sign off until I see the work is complete and of good quality. This approach has also lightened my grading load because most of the feedback I give can be given in a conference with the student during class, rather than trying to complete rubrics at a later time.​

Will this system work for your staff? I think it could. I also feel this is not limited to the yearbook staff, but could be modified for other journalism programs such as newspaper or broadcast.

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Service Points in Yearbook Generate Motivation

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Last year came to a rough close with large chunks of the yearbook incomplete; a team exhausted and frustrated, struggling to work together; and a lack of knowing how to institute work in a class with such a complex grading criteria. When I asked staff members to complete a task, there was not much repercussion...

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Best hands on notebook for student journalists, print or digital.

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Best hands on notebook for student journalists, print or digital.

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Has a quick Journalism 101 intro, and the most valuable thing I use: Story idea suggestions and stock interview questions. Some are a little dated, but they are definitely inspiring.

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the reporter's notebook : writing tools for student journalists 3rd edition

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language arts & disciplines / journalism

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young adult nonfiction / language arts / general

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The Reporter's Notebook : Writing Tools for Student Journalists 3rd Edition

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"The Reporter's Notebook" is meant to be the number one writing tool for our youngest journalists, students in grades third through eighth. It's a no-nonsense way for students to organize their deadlines, plan out their interviews, keep track of schedules, and take notes during interviews...

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Everything for the Journalism teacher, both print and online

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Lots of resources for Journalism teachers, including standards, lesson plans and contests.

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Join us in Chicago
Nov. 1-4

The National High School Journalism Convention is a semiannual gathering of high school journalists and advisers sponsored by the Journalism Education Association and its partner, the National Scholastic Press Association. The associations partner
to prepare hundreds of practical and professional learning sessions, from high-profile keynotes to specific, problem-solving breakouts, hands-on workshops and discussion groups.
LEARN MORE/REGISTER

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The National High School Journalism Convention is a semiannual gathering of high school journalists and advisers sponsored by the Journalism Education Association and its partner, the National Scholastic Press Association. The associations partner to prepare hundreds of practical and professional learning sessions, from high-profile keynotes to specific, problem-solving breakouts, hands-on workshops and discussion groups.

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Great for aspiring fiction writers, lets you publish a novel and write for an audience, very collaborative.

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National Novel Writing Month is a fun, empowering approach to creative writing. The challenge: draft an entire novel in just one month. For 30 wild, exciting, surprising days, you get to lock away your inner editor, let your imagination take over, and just create!

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I like the format of this, the stories it tells engage students, and you can adapt your own version of this at your site.

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"Everybody Has a Story," CBS Evening News and Steve Hartman | 2002 duPont-Columbia Award Winner

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With a boyish sense of wonder and precision writing, Correspondent Steve Hartman breaks open the definition of news in his feature stories about ordinary Americans. His method is to throw a dart at a map, point his finger at a name in the local telephone book, and then turn a blind call into a parable of life. Hartman is a unique reporter who consistently strikes a deep emotional chord with the people he covers and his audience.

Steve Hartman, correspondent; Les Rose, photographer; Jim Murphy, executive producer.

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The contest may be over, but the criteria can be adapted for your own PBL project.

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Do you have a story about how you've 'stepped up' to take action on an issue you're passionate about? Whether a big action or small, we want to hear about it!
Get a chance to be published on KQED's website and be screened at a KQED-hosted media festival in January! Read on for all the details on how to submit.

What's the Deal?

This year, the Lowdown sought out Bay Area students who have dedicated a significant chunk of their high school experience to fighting for a cause. We looked for a diverse array of young activists from different backgrounds who were willing to share their unique personal stories and explain why they became passionate about a specific issue. Now we want to hear from YOU!

Maybe you were motivated by a specific program or club you joined, like Naudika, Veronica S., and Veronica F. were. Maybe you started your own club in response to the issues around you, like Walter. Maybe you're not part of a program or club, but every time you see a piece of litter on the ground, you make a point to pick it up, or when you see someone being bullied or someone using demeaning language, you speak up.

However big or small an action, we want to hear from you!

The Challenge - How Are You Stepping Up?

Have you ever felt so passionately about an issue that it spurred you to action? In a video, audio, or written piece, tell us about the issue or event that sparked you to act, and what you are doing about it.

Selected works will be published on our website, anda small number of the media makers located in the Bay Area will be invited to participate in a public screening in San Francisco.

Submission Deadline: Friday, December 1, 2017

Submission Guidelines

Teachers!

KQED Teach, a free online professional learning site, is designed to help build your multimedia production skills to support students in the Youth Media Challenge and other classroom projects. Check out the self-paced courses on video storytelling and audio podcasting!

Open to youth ages 13-18. We welcome individual and group submissions (up to three youth per group). Those who share an experience and story around the same issue (for example, volunteer at the same program together, co-founded a club together, etc.) are eligible to submit a media piece as a group as long as all participant voices are represented.

The time limit for video and audio pieces is 3 minutes. Video and audio pieces must be hosted on a shareable platform (YouTube, Vimeo, Soundcloud, etc.) to be considered.

The word limit for written pieces is 400 words. (Written pieces can be emailed as a PDF file, or hosted on a shareable platform like Google Docs. If using Google Docs, please put settings to "View Only".)

Note for video submissions: while videos must include your voice and story, visuals are not limited to or required to feature you personally on camera. We welcome animation, photo montages and other creative visual storytelling tools!

Challenge Timeline

"Stepping Up" Online Screening with Media Literacy Week: Monday, November 6, 2017 from 4:00 - 5:00 PM PST

Submission Deadline: Friday, December 1, 2017

Youth Media Makers Notified of Selections: Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Public Screening in San Jose with selected Media Makers: Wedne sday, January 17, 2018 [updated]
Selected Works Published on KQED Website: Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Submitting a piece does not guarantee you will be selected. We receive more submissions than we have the capacity to publish. You will be notified by email if your submission is selected. Questions? Email our Youth Media team at youthmedia@kqed.org . Note: We will not reply to questions regarding the status of your submission.
Virtual Screening of Media Selections: Thursday , January 18, 2018

Submission Terms & Conditions

Submitted works must be your own and not violate any copyrights. For video and audio content, here is a resource for royalty-free music.

By submitting your work you are agreeing that:

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Youth Media Challenge: How Are You Stepping Up?

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Do you have a story about how you've 'stepped up' to take action on an issue you're passionate about? Whether a big action or small, we want to hear about it! Get a chance to be published on KQED's website and be screened at a KQED-hosted media festival in January!

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PBS LearningMedia | Teaching Resources For Students And Teachers

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Inspire your students with thousands of free teaching resources including videos, lesson plans, and games aligned to state and national standards.

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Another contest that can be adapted to a PBL project.

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ReadWriteThink is an amazing resource for all sorts of digital projects.

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Podcasts can be used across grade levels and content areas. This tool provides the nuts and bolts of creating a podcast, including links to video tutorials with thorough instructions and free software. Peruse the Extras section to access resources with free audio and images to use with your podcasts.

Have students create class podcasts of favorite books through the use of "book chats." Younger students can complete these as a class or in small groups. Older students can create small-group or independent podcasts. Topics can vary. For example, students can discuss their favorite characters and how they changed throughout the story, or they can discuss elements such as plot, theme, and setting. Students can also create thumbs-up/thumbs-down book reviews by providing a thumbs-up or thumbs-down rating and stating reasons for their choice.

Visit the ReadWriteThink.org podcast page for great examples of "book chats." In particular, listen to Chatting About Books: Recommendations for Young Readers and Text Messages: Recommendations for Adolescent Readers.

Have your middle and high school students create their own podcasts about persuasive messages they find in their favorite books, television shows, video games, and movies. Have students identify the persuasive message and describe what makes it persuasive (answers might include convincing ideas, well thought-out arguments, or strong opinions). You might also ask them to identify any propaganda techniques in use (such as assertions, bandwagon, card stacking, glittering generalities, lesser of two evils, name calling, pinpointing the enemy, plain folks, testimonials, and transfer). Have students critique these messages in their podcasts.

Set up a class podOmatic site and have your students create podcasts about current events or classroom happenings so they can share with family and friends.

Use podcast assignments across the curriculum. Podcasts can connect to:

Writing: Have students create their own recipe podcasts or critiques of recipes they have tried. For ideas, view Spatulatta, which includes podcasts about creating recipes. You can also have students write biographies of significant figures in history, authors, or characters, or even their own autobiographies, to podcast.

Reading: Have students create book review podcasts for a book the class just finished reading or individual book reports. For ideas, view Just One More Book!!, which includes example book reviews.

Vocabulary: Have students create a podcast by crafting sentences using new vocabulary words they learn in content areas. Older students can listen to the podcasts at Just Vocabulary for examples. Younger students can listen to examples at Claymont Fourth Grade Podcasts Social Studies Vocabulary Words. Students can also create songs using vocabulary words. Have students listen to the Princeton Review Vocabulary Minute Podcasts for examples. The "junior" words are more suitable to younger students and the "senior" songs for middle and high school students.

Science: Have students write a research report or brief narrative on a science topic you're studying, then create podcasts about these concepts. Have them listen to the podcasts at Science Update for examples.

Math: Have students create podcasts to help each other understand how to work through problems and concepts.

Economics: Have older students listen to the podcast, You Can't Always Get What You Want. This podcast is a short economics tip based on the Rolling Stones song by the same title. Have students take up the podcaster's challenge to find a short clip from one of their favorite pop songs that deals with economics and base a message around that idea that they can then podcast. For more economics podcast ideas, visit Gus A. Stavros Center for Free Enterprise and Economic Education and scroll down the page to "Stavros Center on iTunesU." Their podcasts are for multiple grade levels and include an economic concept, teaching tips, and activity ideas.

Social studies: Have students create a podcast on an historical topic. Direct students to The Education Podcast Network: History for examples. Find many more social studies podcasts for the classroom on The Education Podcast Network.

Grades 6 - 10 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Creating a Persuasive Podcast
Students learn how to get their voice out on the web when they research issues important to them and compose a persuasive podcast to post online.
Audio Broadcasts and Podcasts: Oral Storytelling and Dramatization
After exploring Orson Welles' 1938 broadcast of H. G. Wells' War of the Worlds, students create their own audio dramatization of a text they have read.

Grades 8 - 12 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Analyzing and Podcasting About Images of Oscar Wilde
Students analyze images of Oscar Wilde used to publicize his 1882 American lecture tour. They then compare a caricature to another researched image, sharing this analysis in a podcast.

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Podcasts: The Nuts and Bolts of Creating Podcasts - ReadWriteThink

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Podcasts can be used across grade levels and content areas. This tool provides the nuts and bolts of creating a podcast, including links to video tutorials with thorough instructions and free software. Peruse the Extras section to access resources with free audio and images to use with your podcasts.